October 22, 2017:

Evolution of Faith – Salvation

John 3:1-10, 16-17 (Kingdom New Testament)

1There was a man of the Pharisees called Nicodemus, a ruler of the Judaeans. 2 He came to Jesus by night.
‘Rabbi,’ he said to him. ‘We know that you’re a teacher who’s come from God. Nobody can do these signs that you’re doing, unless God is with him.’
3 ‘Let me tell you the solemn truth,’ replied Jesus. ‘Unless someone has been born from above, they won’t be able to see God’s kingdom.’
4 ‘How can someone possibly be born’, asked Nicodemus, ‘when they’re old? You’re not telling me they can go back a second time into the mother’s womb and be born, are you?’
5 ‘I’m telling you the solemn truth,’ replied Jesus. ‘Unless someone is born from water and spirit, they can’t enter God’s kingdom. 6 Flesh is born from flesh, but spirit is born from spirit. 7 Don’t be surprised that I said to you, You must be born from above. 8 The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear the sound it makes; but you don’t know where it’s coming from or where it’s going to. That’s what it’s like with someone who is born from the spirit.’
9 ‘How can this be so?’ asked Nicodemus.
10 ‘Well, well!’ replied Jesus. ‘You’re a teacher of Israel, and yet you don’t know about all this?
—-
16 This, you see, is how much God loved the world: enough to give his only, special son, so that everyone who believes in him should not be lost but should share in the life of God’s new age. 17 After all, God didn’t send the son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world could be saved by him.